DAY – 15 ( INSTA REVISION TEST)INSTA REVISION PLAN 3.0, 2020

Solution: D

Concordant drainage patterns

• A drainage pattern is described as concordant if it correlates to the topology and geology of the area.
• In simple words, in a concordant drainage pattern, the path of the river is highly dependent on the slope of the river and topography.
• Concordant drainage patterns are the most commonly found drainage patterns and are classified into many consequent, subsequent, obsequent and resequent.

Discordant or Insequent drainage patterns

• A drainage pattern is described as discordant if it does not correlate to the topology (surface relief features) and geology of the area.
• In simple words, in a discordant drainage pattern, the river follows its initial path irrespective of the changes in topography.
• Discordant drainage patterns are classified into two main types: antecedent and superimposed.
• Usually, rivers in both these drainage types flow through a highly sloping surface.

Solution: C

Son River

• The Son River rises in the Amarkantak Plateau.
• Its source is close to the origin of the Narmada.
• It passes along the Kaimur Range.
• It joins the Ganga near Danapur in Patna district of Bihar.
• It flows for a distance of 784 km from its source.
• The important tributaries of the Son are the Johilla, the Gopat, the Rihand, the Kanhar and the North Koel. Almost all the tributaries join it on its right bank.

Damodar river

• The Damodar river rises in the hills of the Chotanagpur plateau and flows through a rift valley.
• Rich in mineral resources, the valley is home to large-scale mining and industrial activity.
• It has a number of tributaries and subtributaries, such as Barakar, Konar, Bokaro, Haharo, etc.
• The Barakar is the most important tributary of the Damodar.
• Several dams have been constructed in the valley, for the generation of hydroelectric power. The valley is called “the Ruhr of India”.
• The first dam was built across the Barakar River, a tributary of the Damodar river.
• It used to cause devastating floods as a result of which it earned the name ‘Sorrow of Bengal’. Now the river is tamed by constructing numerous dams.

Solution: C

The Halayib Triangle, also known as the Halayeb Triangle, is an area of land measuring 20,580 square kilometres located on the Northeast African coast of the Red Sea.

It is a disputed territory between Sudan and Egypt.

Solution: B

Peninsular River System or Peninsular Drainage

• Peninsula rivers are much older than the Himalayan rivers {Discordant}.
• The peninsular drainage is mainly Concordant except for few rivers in the upper peninsula region.
• They are non-perennial rivers with a maximum discharge in the rainy season.
• The peninsular rivers have reached mature stage {Fluvial Landforms} and have almost reached their base level. [Vertical downcutting is negligible].
• The rivers are characterized by broad and shallow valleys.
• The river banks have gentle slopes except for a limited tract where faulting forms steep sides.
• The main water divide in peninsular rivers is formed by the Western Ghats, which run from north to south close to the western coast.
• The velocity of water in the rivers and the load carrying capacity of the streams is low due to low gradient.
• Most of the major rivers of the peninsula such as the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Cauvery flow eastwards and drain into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers make deltas at their mouths.
• But the west flowing rivers of Narmada and Tapi as well as those originating from the Western Ghats and falling in the Arabian Sea form estuaries in place of deltas.

Solution: D

Vishu is a Hindu festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala, Tulu Nadu region in Karnataka, Mahe district of Union Territory of Pondicherry, neighbouring areas of Tamil Nadu and their diaspora communities. The festival marks the first day of Medam, the ninth month in the solar calendar followed in Kerala.

Bohag Bihu or Rongali Bihu also called Xaat Bihu is a festival celebrated in the Indian state of Assam and other parts of northeastern India, and marks the beginning of the Assamese New Year. It usually falls in the 2nd week of April, historically signifying the time of harvest.

Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarusham or Tamil New Year, is the first day of year on the Tamil calendar and traditionally celebrated as a festival. The festival date is set with the solar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, as the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai.

Solution: B

Jhelum River

• The Jhelum has its source in a spring at Verinag in the south-eastern part of the Kashmir Valley.
• It flows northwards into Wular Lake (north-western part of Kashmir Valley). From Wular Lake, it changes its course southwards. At Baramulla the river enters a gorge in the hills.
• The river forms steep-sided narrow gorge through Pir Panjal Range below Baramula.
• At Muzaffarabad, the river takes a sharp hairpin bend southward.
• Thereafter, it forms the India-Pakistan boundary for 170 km and emerges at the Potwar Plateau near Mirpur.
• After flowing through the spurs of the Salt Range it debouches (emerge from a confined space into a wide, open area) on the plains near the city of Jhelum.
• It joins the Chenab at Trimmu.
• The river is navigable for about 160 km out of a total length of 724 km.

Chenab River

• The Chenab originates from near the Bara Lacha Pass in the Lahul-Spiti part of the Zaskar Range.

Solution: B

Right Bank Tributaries of the Ganga

• Yamuna River
• Damodar River

Left Bank Tributaries of the Ganga River

• Ramganga River
• Ghaghra River
• Kali River
• Gandak River
• Burhi Gandak
• Kosi River

Solution: B

DTAB is highest statutory decision-making body on technical matters related to drugs in the country. It is constituted as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. It is part of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/government-notifies-medical-devices-as-drugs-industry-cautious/article30812704.ece

Solution: D

Glaciers of the Karakoram Range

Maximum development of glaciers occurs in the Karakoram range.

Some of the largest glaciers outside the polar and sub-polar regions are found in this range. The southern side of this range has many gigantic glaciers.

The 75 km long Siachen Glacier in Nubra valley has the distinction of being the largest glacier outside the polar and the sub-polar regions.

The second largest is the 74 km long Fedchenko Glacier (Pamirs)

Third largest is the Hispar Glacier. It is 62 km long and occupies a tributary of the Hunza River.

Glaciers of the Pir Panjal Range

The glaciers of the Pir Panjal Range are less numerous and smaller in size as compared to those of the Karakoram Range.

The longest Sonapani Glacier in the Chandra Valley of Lahul and Spiti region is only 15 km long.

1. Gangotri Glacier:
   1. located in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
2. Milam Glacier:
   1. located in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand
3. Pindari glacier
   1. Nanda devi, Uttarakhand
4. Zemu Glacier
   1. Largest glacier in the Eastern Himalaya
   2. Located on Kanchenjunga peak, Sikkim
5. Baltoro Glacier     J & K – Karakoram range
6. Chogolungma glacier      J & K  – Karakoram range
7. Diamir Glacier      J & K  – Karakoram range
8. Siachin Glacier
   1. LOC between India & POK
   2. Close to China border – Karakoram Range

Solution: C

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is the biggest broadcasting union in the world. The Union was established in 1964 as a non-profit, non-governmental, non- political, professional association with mandate to assist the development of broadcasting in the region. ABU promotes the collective interests of television and radio broadcasters as well as key industry players and facilitate regional and international media co-operation.

ABU is a member of the World Broadcasters’ Union and works closely with the other regional broadcasting unions on matters of common concern such as reserving frequencies for broadcasters, harmonisation of operating and technical broadcasting standards and systems and finalising the Broadcasting Treaty.

Membership is open to national broadcasters and national broadcasting organisations. There are only two Full members in each country so that there is a balance of voting rights across the region.

The ABU’s “board of directors” is called the Administrative Council. It consists of 17 of its Full and Additional Full members, elected for a three year term.

http://www.newsonair.com/News?title=ABU-Media-Summit-on-Climate-Action-and-Disaster-Preparedness-underway-in-Nepal&id=362714

Solution: C

Biomass [Conventional Source]

• Biomass is a renewable energy resource derived from plant and animal waste.
• The energy from biomass (biomass conversion) is released on burning or breaking the chemical bonds of organic molecules formed during photosynthesis.
• Biomass fuels can be used directly or they can be transformed into more convenient form and then used.

Sources of biomass

• By-products from the timber industry, agricultural crops and their byproducts, raw material from the forest, major parts of household waste and wood.
• Solid Biomass fuels: Wood logs and wood pellets, charcoal, agricultural waste (stalks and other plant debris), animal waste (dung), aquatic plants (kelp and water hyacinths) urban waste (paper, cardboard and other combustible materials).

Solution: A

Graphite

• Graphite is a naturally-occurring form of crystalline carbon.
• It is also known as plumbago or black lead.
• The carbon content in Graphite is never less than 95%.
• Graphite may be considered the highest grade of coal, just above anthracite.

Carbon content in Peat < Lignite < Bituminous < Anthracite < Graphite < Diamond

• It is not normally used as fuel because it is difficult to ignite.
• It is found in metamorphic and igneous rocks.
• Graphite is extremely soft, cleaves [splits into layers] with very light pressure.
• It is extremely resistant to heat and is highly unreactive.
• Most of the graphite is formed at convergent plate boundaries where organic-rich shales and limestones were subjected to metamorphism due to heat and pressure.
• Metamorphism produces marble, schist and gneiss that contains tiny crystals and flakes of graphite.
• Some graphite forms from the metamorphism of coal seams. This graphite is known as “amorphous graphite”.
• Graphite is a non-metal and it is the only non-metal that can conduct electricity.

Solution: C

The four member countries of the Kunming Initiative that was rechristened as the BCIM Forum (Bangladesh, India, China, and Myanmar) for regional cooperation is a Track II initiative that was given Track I coordination in 2011.

The Kunming Initiative was formed keeping in mind the fact that a regional outlook on the concerns of development, security and prosperity was undoubtedly more beneficial than striking out one’s own.

https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/china-drops-bcim-from-bri-projects-list-119042800540_1.html

Solution: B

Gondwana Coalfields in Chhattisgarh

Korba coalfield

Birampur coalfield

Hasdo-Arand coalfield

Chirmiri coalfield

Lakhanpur coalfield

Jhilmili coalfield

Johilla coalfield

Sonhat coalfield

Tatapani-Ramkota coalfields

Gondwana Coalfields in Jharkhand

Jharia coalfield  

Jayanti coalfields

Bokaro coalfield

West Bokaro [900 m deep]

East Bokaro [600 m deep]:       Hazaribagh district

Girdih (Karharbari) coalfield

Karanpura and Ramgarh coalfields

Auranga coalfield: Palamu district

Hutar coalfield

Deltenganj coalfield

Devgarh coalfields:  Dumka district

Rajmahal coalfield,      Rajmahal hills

Gondwana Coalfields in Odisha

Talcher field:       Talcher town to Rairkhol in Dhenkanal and Sambalpur districts

Rampur-Himgir coalfield:      Sambalpur and Sundargarh

Ib river coalfield: Sambalpur and Jharsuguda district

Gondwana Coalfields in Madhya Pradesh

Singrauli (Waidhian) coalfield: Sidhi and Shandol districts

Pench-Kanhan-Tawa:    Chhindwara district

Sohagpur coalfield:       Shandol district

Umaria coalfield: Umaria district

Solution: C

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites. The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, called “malaria vectors.” There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose the greatest threat.

It is preventable and curable.

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malaria

https://www.businesstoday.in/pti-feed/icmr-launches-mera-india-to-eliminate-malaria-from-india-by-2030/story/340653.html

Solution: D

Copper Reserves in India

• 46 million tonnes.
• Rajasthan (50%)
• Madhya Pradesh (24%)
• Jharkhand (19%)
• The rest 7 per cent in AP, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka etc.

Madhya Pradesh

• 1st in production [59.85 %].
• Malanjkhand copper mines of Balaghat district are the most important ones.
• Reserves of moderate size are also found in Betul district.

Rajasthan

• 2nd in production [28%]
• Found along the Aravali range.
• Ajmer, Alwar, Bhilwara, Chittaurgarh, Dungarpur, Jaipur, Jhunjhunu, Pali, Sikar, Sirohi and Udaipur districts.
• Khetri-Singhana belt in Jhunjhunu district is the most important copper producing area.

Jharkhand

• 3rd in production [11 %].
• Singhbhum is the most important copper producing district.
• Found in Hazaribagh district, Santhal Parganas and Palamu districts.

Solution: A

Zemu Glacier is the largest glacier in the Eastern Himalaya. It is about 26 kilometres in length and is located at the base of Kangchenjunga in the Himalayan region of Sikkim, India. The Zemu Glacier drains the east side of Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain.

Solution: A

Manjira wildlife sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and reservoir located in Sangareddy district of Telangana State, India. Originally a crocodile sanctuary, today more than 70 species of birds are spotted here and is home for the vulnerable species mugger crocodile.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/as-manjeera-and-singur-dry-up-water-board-falls-back-on-citys-twin-reservoirs/articleshow/69604449.cms

Solution: C

Polymetallic nodules are rounded accretions of manganese and iron hydroxides that cover vast areas of the seafloor, but are most abundant on abyssal plains at water depths of 4000-6500 metres. They form through the aggregation of layers of iron and manganese hydroxides around a central particle (such as a shell or small rock fragment), and range in size from a few millimeters to tens of centimeters.

The first deep-sea venture of the National Institute of Oceanography was started in 1982, for the exploration for nodules and India recognized as a “Pioneer Investor”. In 1995, India ratifies the UNCLOS III convention and India elected as the council member of the International Seabed Authority.

India signed a 15-year contract for exploration of Polymetallic Nodules (PMN) in the Central Indian Ocean Basin with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) on 25th March, 2002

https://www.eu-midas.net/science/nodules

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/why-is-india-pulled-to-deep-sea-mining/article28809029.ece

Solution: B

Fruit and Shoot Borer (FSB)-resistant brinjal or Bt brinjal was developed using a transformation process similar to the one used in the development of Bt cotton, a biotech crop that was planted on 7.6 million hectares in India in 2008. Bt brinjal incorporates the cry1Ac gene expressing insecticidal protein to confer resistance against FSB. The cry1Ac gene is sourced from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).

Bt Brinjal was developed by the Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company (Mahyco). The company used a DNA construct containing the cry1Ac gene, a CaMV 35S promoter and the selectable marker genes nptII and aad, to transform young cotyledons of brinjal plants.

https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/bt-brinjal-being-illegally-grown-in-haryana/article26945204.ece

Solution: C

Solution: A

Coal is originated from organic matter wood. When large tracts of forests are buried under sediments, wood is burnt and decomposed due to heat from below and pressure from above. The phenomenon makes coal but takes centuries to complete.

As per the present import policy, coal can be freely imported (under Open General Licence) by the consumers themselves considering their needs based on their commercial prudence. Coking Coal is being imported by Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and other Steel manufacturing units mainly to bridge the gap between the requirement and indigenous availability and to improve the quality of production.

Anthracite: It is the best quality of coal with highest calorific value and carries 80 to 95% carbon content. It ignites slowly with a blue flame and found in small quantities in Jammu and Kashmir.

Solution: D

Melamine is illegally added to inflate the apparent protein content of food products. Because it is high in nitrogen, the addition of melamine to a food artificially increases the apparent protein content as measured with standard tests.

There are no approved direct food uses for melamine, nor are there any recommendations in the Codex Alimentarius.

https://www.livemint.com/politics/policy/government-extends-ban-on-import-of-milk-products-from-china-1556036439186.html

https://www.who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/chemical-risks/melamine/en/

Solution: D

The Northeastern Plateau

In fact it is an extension of the main peninsular plateau. It is believed that due to the force exerted by the northeastward movement of the Indian plate at the time of the Himalayan origin, a huge fault was created between the Rajmahal hills and the Meghalaya plateau.

Later, this depression got filled up by the deposition activity of the numerous rivers.

An extension of this is also seen in the Karbi Anglong hills of Assam. Similar to the Chotanagpur plateau, the Meghalaya plateau is also rich in mineral resources like coal, iron ore, sillimanite, limestone and uranium. This area receives maximum rainfall from the south west monsoon.

The outer-most range of the Himalayas is called the Shiwaliks. They extend over a width of 10-50 Km and have an altitude varying between 900 and 1100 metres. These ranges are composed of unconsolidated sediments brought down by rivers from the main Himalayan ranges located farther north.

Solution: D

The Banking Ombudsman Scheme enables an expeditious and inexpensive forum to bank customers for resolution of complaints relating to certain services rendered by banks. The Banking Ombudsman Scheme is introduced under Section 35 A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 by RBI with effect from 1995.

The Banking Ombudsman is a senior official appointed by the Reserve Bank of India to redress customer complaints against deficiency in certain banking services.

All Scheduled Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks and Scheduled Primary Co-operative Banks are covered under the Scheme.

https://www.livemint.com/industry/banking/66-of-complaints-mutually-settled-banking-ombudsman-report-1556162402257.html